Converting wrapping machines to wrap different size articles



Oct. 1, 1963 D. R. BARKMAN CONVERTING WRAPPING MACHINES T0 WRAP DIFFERENT SIZE ARTICLES Filed May 16. 1961 INVENTOR. Da w A garb/2cm BY -7?ed United States Patent Office 3,105,336 Patented Oct. 1, 1963 Package Machinery Company, East Longmeadow,

Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed May 16, 1961, Ser. No. 110,453 2 Claims. (Cl. 53-220) The present invention relates to improvements in wrapping machines and more particularly to the conversion of such machines to wrapping difierent size articles.

The object of the invention is to provide a novel method and apparatus for quickly and simply changing over. from wrapping one size article to another size article.

Another and ancillary object of the invention is to drastically reduce the time and number of change parts required in converting such machines to wrapping different size articles, particularly articles comprising a plurality of. elementsas in packages of cookies.

One of the more common wrapping machines in use today is the so-callcd die fold type which is exemplified by the disclosure in U.S. Patent 2,304,428-Smith et al. Such machines are widely used to wrap candy and cookies, particularly where a plurality of cookies or pieces of candy are in side-by-side relation in each wrapped package.

With fluctuations in costs and the wider use of vending machines, there is a great variation in demand for various sizes of packages, particularly in the smaller range which would sell for five or ten cents. As much as 12 hours have previously been required in order to convert a wrapping machine to wrap a five-cent two-cookie package, after wrapping a ten-cent three-cookie package. Prior approaches to this problem have involved a substantial rebuilding of the wrapping machine from the infeed conveyor to the discharge from the wrapping instrumentalities and likewise involved the use of a great number of change parts which need to be substituted for those previously used.

It has been discovered that by maintaining one side of the wrapping machine as a constant, then the problems above referred to may be greatly reduced. The die fold machine involves the use of a die box through which articles are elevated during the wrapping operation. When converting to wrap a different size article, this die box is replaced by a new die box having a difierent width. The new die box is positioned with one of its side walls occupying a plane common to that occupied by the corresponding side wall of the first die box. A minimum number of change parts are then required to complete the conversion and the same infeed and discharge conveyors can be used with little or no modification in wrapping a difierent size article.

The above and other related objects and features of the invention will be apparent from a reading of the following description of the disclosure found in the accompanying drawing and the novelty thereof pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatical showing of a machine for Wrapping one size of article;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatical showing of the same machine changed over to wrap another size article;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatical view taken on line III-I11 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagnammatical view taken on line IV-IV in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a partially folded wrapper illustrating the type of fold made by the present machine.

The machine shown in FIG. 1 comprises an infeed conveyor 10 which advances cookies 0 towards a die box 12. The conveyor comprises spaced flights 11' each having three lugs 14 and side guides 8 and 9. Cookies are automatically fed ahead of the lugs 14 by known means and advanced over rails 15'. Three cookies in side-by-side relation are transferred from each flight of the infeed conveyor 10 to an elevator 16.

The elevator 16 is detachably secured to a post 17 as may also be seen in FIG. 3. Die plates 18 project above the elevator 16 and the cookies thereon at either side of the die box 12. The die plates 18 are secured toa bracket 20 which in turn is 'detachably mounted on a post 22. The posts 17 and 22 are a part of known operating means for raising the elevator 16 and die plates 18 as is shown in the Smith et al. patent.

A wrapper w is fed above the cookies on the elevator 16 which is then raised simultaneously with the die plates 18. The wrapper is partially encircled about the cookies and folded against the outer surfaces of the die plates 18, as indicated in FIG. 3. The die plates are then lowered. Known latch means (not shown) may be provided to assist in supporting the cookies. End tuckers 24, 26 (FIG. 1) are next projected beneath the end portions of the cookies; the configuration of the wrapper w at this point is illustrated in FIG. 5. Thereafter a rear tucker 28 iolds the rear wrapper extension beneath the cookies after the elevator has also been lowered. Finally, a pusher 30 discharges the cookies from the die box through an opening or channel which lays the front wrapper extension against the bottom of the article, thus completing the wrapping of the article comprised of the three cookies. The tuckers 24, 26 and 23, and pusher 30, are detachably secured, respectively, to arms 50, 52, 54 and 56, which are part of operating means for carrying out the described Wrapping operations. These operating means are more *fully described in the named Smith et al. patent.

The wrapper w is preferably a heat scalable film and is advanced over a heated plate 32 to seal the portions thereof lapped against the bottom of the article. A conveyor comprising flights 34 so advances the articles with a hold down plate (not shown) pressing the articles against the heated plate 32 in order to obtain a good seal. Thereafter a belt conveyor (not shown) discharges the wrapped articles from the machine.

It is to be understood that the structure employed may take many forms within the knowledge of those skilled in the art, and following the teachings of said Smith et al. patent. This would include the use of glue, as therein disclosed, -to seal the lapped portions rather than the use of heat sealing means herein referred to.

When it is desired to have two cookies per package, the die box 12 is replaced by a die box 12' having a width approximating the combined width of two cookies. The far side of the die box 12 is disposed in the same plane as the corresponding side of the original die box 12. Also, the far side of the die box 12' is aligned with the far side of the infeed conveyor 10 and the side guide 8. The near side guide is moved toward the guide 8 as indicated by the guide 9' spaced therefrom a distance approx-imating the combined width of two cookies. The die box 12' has flanges which are slotted at 58' (FIG. 4) which correspond to slots 58 formed in similar flanges on the die box 12. These slots enable the same screws to be used in mounting either die box.

An elevator 16' of lesser width is substituted for the elevator 16, being mounted on the same post 17. Like- Wise appropriately modified die plates 18' on bracket 20' are mounted on the post 22 in substitution [for plates 18 and bracket 20. An appropriately narrower rear tucker 28' and pusher 30' are likewise substituted for their counterparts previously described being mounted on the area-see arms 54 and 56, respectively; The far end tucker 24 remains unchanged, While the near end tucker is replaced by a longer tucker 2e mounted on the arm 52.

Insofar as folding is concerned, the articles discharged from the die box 12' will be identical with those from the die box 12, except for a difference in width, or What is sometimes referred to as the package length. It will be seen that the travel or stroke and relative timing of the elevator, the die plates, the side tuckers, the rear tucker and the pusher all remain a constant regardless of Whether the machine is set up to wrap narrow or Wide packages. This latter factor, of course, results from the use of common operating means.

By placing the die box 12' with one side Wall in a common plane with the previous die box 12, a minimum number of change parts are required to convert from wrapping one width of article to wrapping another width of article. It will also be appreciated that when only the Width of the die box varies, each die box will be operatively positioned relative to the side tucker 24 so that only the side trucker 2%, remote from this common plane, need be replaced. The term change part as herein used, denotes those parts which are substituted for existing parts in converting to different sizes and includes all parts referred to by primed reference characters. The minimum number of change parts makes it possible to convert from one package width to another in less than an hour. This is facilitated by using the same conveyor parts, requiring no more than movement of one of the side guides.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as novel and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. The combination in a wrapping machine of an infeed conveyor for advancing articles to be wrapped, an elevator onto which the articles are advanced from said conveyor, a pair of die plates at opposite ends of the elevator 'for giving shape to wrappers independently of the configuration of the articles being Wrapped, a die box into which the articles are elevated, said die box comprising walls providing opposed lateral faces lying in vertical planes, said die plates being movable upwardly past said opposed faces of the die box in the folding of the Wrapper with the width of the folded Wrapper being controlled by the distance between said faces, operating means for reciprocating said elevator and die plates to partially enfold an article in a Wrapper as the article is elevated, a pair of side tuckers, a rear tucker and a pusher, and operating means for moving said tuckers and pushers to complete the wrapping of the article, all of said named components being detachably mounted on the operating means therefor, said combination including apparatus comprising a substitute second die box also having walls providing opposed lateral faces therein, the lateral faces of the second die box being spaced apart a distance different from the distance between the corresponding lateral faces of the first die box to enable wrapping of different width articles, means for detachably mounting said second die box on said machine in place of said first die box with one lateral face thereof occupying a plane common to that occupied by the corresponding lateral face of said first die box, whereby the operative elements of the machine inwardly of said common plane may be used Without changeover, substitute change parts for said elevator, die plates, rear tucker, pusher and the side tucker remote from said common plane and means for detachably mounting said change parts on the operating .means there-for in operative relation to said second die box.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the infeed conveyor comprises a lateral side rail having an inner face lying in a vertical plane generally aligned with said common plane.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. THE COMBINATION IN A WRAPPING MACHINE OF AN INFEED CONVEYOR FOR ADVANCING ARTICLES TO BE WRAPPED, AN ELEVATOR ONTO WHICH THE ARTICLES ARE ADVANCED FROM SAID CONVEYOR, A PAIR OF DIE PLATES AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE ELEVATOR FOR GIVING SHAPE TO WRAPPERS INDEPENDENTLY OF THE CONFIGURATION OF THE ARTICLES BEING WRAPPED, A DIE BOX INTO WHICH THE ARTICLES ARE ELEVATED, SAID DIE BOX COMPRISING WALLS PROVIDING OPPOSED LATERAL FACES LYING IN VERTICAL PLANES, SAID DIE PLATES BEING MOVABLE UPWARDLY PAST SAID OPPOSED FACES OF THE DIE BOX IN THE FOLDING OF THE WRAPPER WITH THE WIDTH OF THE FOLDED WRAPPER BEING CONTROLLED BY THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID FACES, OPERATING MEANS FOR RECIPROCATING SAID ELEVATOR AND DIE PLATES TO PARTIALLY ENFOLD AN ARTICLE IN A WRAPPER AS THE ARTICLE IS ELEVATED, A PAIR OF SIDE TUCKERS, A REAR TUCKER AND A PUSHER, AND OPERATING MEANS FOR MOVING SAID TUCKERS AND PUSHERS TO COMPLETE THE WRAPPING OF THE ARTICLE, ALL OF SAID NAMED COMPONENTS BEING DETACHABLY MOUNTED ON THE OPERATING MEANS THEREFOR, SAID COMBINATION INCLUDING APPARATUS COMPRISING A SUBSTITUTE SECOND DIE BOX ALSO HAVING WALLS PROVIDING OPPOSED LATERAL FACES THEREIN, THE LATERAL FACES OF THE SECOND DIE BOX BEING SPACED APART A DISTANCE DIFFERENT FROM THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE CORRESPONDING LATERAL FACES OF THE FIRST DIE BOX TO ENABLE WRAPPING OF DIFFERENT WIDTH ARTICLES, MEANS FOR DETACHABLY MOUNTING SAID SECOND DIE BOX ON SAID MACHINE IN PLACE OF SAID FIRST DIE BOX WITH ONE LATERAL FACE THEREOF OCCUPYING A PLANE COMMON TO THAT OCCUPIED BY THE CORRESPONDING LATERAL FACE OF SAID FIRST DIE BOX, WHEREBY THE OPERATIVE ELEMENTS OF THE MACHINE INWARDLY OF SAID COMMON PLANE MAY BE USED WITHOUT CHANGEOVER, SUBSTITUTE CHANGE PARTS FOR SAID ELEVATOR, DIE PLATES, REAR TUCKER, PUSHER AND THE SIDE TUCKER REMOTE FROM SAID COMMON PLANE AND MEANS FOR DETACHABLY MOUNTING SAID CHANGE PARTS ON THE OPERATING MEANS THEREFOR IN OPERATIVE RELATION TO SAID SECOND DIE BOX. 